A NEW SYSTEM

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 56, 8 March 1919, Page 9

A NEW SYSTEM

EDUCATION IN A NEW ERA

PROPOSALS FOR REFORM

PRIMARY TEACHERS' PLANS.

The recent conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute, representing the primary school teachers of the Dominion, was one of the most important in the institute's history. At a period when the war had proved the need for greater attention to education; and the armistice had removed to an extent the barrier that was checking that provision—at this time the teachers set themselves the task of presenting their ideas as to what should constitute the aims of the new education, and by what means those aims could be best attained. The discussion lasted several days, and covered a wide area. In the following article the main conclusions of the institute are set out, with brief explanations where such may be helpful. CONTROL—A NATIONAL BOARD.-

On the subject of administration, tho instifuto resolved that in lieu of the present nine Education Boards there should be appointed a National Board of Education, comprising seven members as follow : the Minister, the Director, three members elected by the teachers (one to be a woman), and two members appoint- ! ed by the Government (one to be a woman). The elected and. appointed members should hold office for three years, ' and should devote their whole time to tho work of the board and receive a salary. The functions of the National Board would be: "To advise Parliament, to promulgate curricula, to supervise the work of education committees, to provide and control the teaching staff, to establish, close, or group schools as may be deemed necessary, and generally to direct the educational functions of the nation." Such control, it was argued, would en- ■ sure a system of education that was genuinely national. It would make possible the co-ordination and co-relation of the courses of study. Further, it would check any tendency to departmental control. Education Boards were designed to meet the needs of a time when New Zealand was really divided into provinces. Now many of the functions of the boards had been taken from them. Excluding tho University Senate, they had controling education a' multiplicity of authorities—the Council of Education, High School Boards, Technical School Boards, Education Boards, Kindergarten Associations, the Department, and the Minister, They required unified control before they could, have a unified system, without the overlapping which existed at present as in the case of primary, secondary, and technical schools. ADMINISTRATION—LOCAL COUNCILS. While advocating centralisation of control, the institute urged decentralisation of administration by the constitution of local education authorities to take the place of school committees. The city, the boroughj or the county, would be the unit area for educational purposes, and the city council, borough council, or county council would set up, partly by election and partly by co-optation, an education council, or councils, to manage the educational affairs of the area. The duties of the education councils would be to direct, subject to:the National Board, the educational work of the area, to advise the education board with' regard to sites and buildings, to suggest co-related courses of study for the young people of .the area, having regard to local conditions, to arrange for the co-operation in educational work of local agencies, related or to. be related to the schools (e.g., clubs, libraries, young people's associations), to establish and maintain continuation, classes, to co-operate in the maintenancei of the health of young people, and generally to. promote the good education of the young people of the area. The' idea behind this proposal was that local interest should be awakened by giving scope for action. Instead of one committee for each school, there would be a council for an area, which might include a group of schools. The local committees would be able to use i buildings and facilities to the best advantage, by consolidating the schools and ensuring that all children in the district, had equal opportunities. By such means, greater opportunities would be afforded country children for technical and higher education. In the constitution of the councils, it was intended to. establish a definite connection with existing local authorities, and at the same time to provide for expert knowledge of education needs by the system of co-operation, whereby the local authority might call ;to membership of the Education Council .persons who were deemed suitable. Teachers, for example, might become members of the councils in this..way. FINANCE. On the question of finance, the conference resolution wae, that the expenses of the Department and the National Education Board, funds for buildings, maintenance, salaries, supplies, continuation classes, grants in aid of medical and dental inspection, and treatment of school children should be drawn from the Consolidated Fund; subsidies should be paid on all gifts and bequests, and on grants from local bodies. A CONTINUOUS SYSTEM. With.regard to the courses of study the viev/ of the institute was- that the National Board should provide continuous and co-ordinated study from the kindergarten to the age of 18, in -the following stages:—(a) Kindergarten and preparatory; (b) junior: (c) senior, and should provide for the necessary differentiation along the literary and social aspects of culture, or along the social and technical side. There should be no "primary" or "secondary" barriers, but the child should pass naturally from one grade to the next. In each district one authority should provide the education; In the interests of individual and State efficiency it was essential that compulsory education should be extended to 16 years of age without exception, and that between the ages of 16 and ,18 there be compulsory education in daylight hours. Where necessary financial assistance should be given to enable this extension to be made. FOR CITIZENSHIP. Training for citizenship was covered by a resolution as follows :— "Subject to regulations, all young persons shall attend such continuation classes at such times, and on such days, as the education authority of the area in which they reside may require for three hundred and twenty hours in each year, or such number of hours as the education authority, having_ regard, to all the circumstances, considers reasonable."The ■ mover explained that the education intended would be of a liberal character, including training in civic obligations, the inculcation of the idea of service (now left to private organisations) and instruction in the right use of leisure. Such a course could not be given in the primary schools nor in the technical evening classes, but it was in the interests of the nation that it should bo provided for. SITES AND BUILDINGS.

On tho question of sites and buildings the views of the conference were expressed in the following form:— _,„, "Site.—The minimum area of i__l_,te

for school buildings should be five acres, and wherever possible such site should be in the vicinity of a public park or recreation ground. The grounds should be properly fenced, suitably laid out, and well drained. "Buildings.—The buildings should be so placed that direct sunlight may enter all class-rooms at some period of the day. The schools should be planned by specially-qualified architects. Schoolrooms and verandahs should be so built as to afford provision for open-air teaching when the climatic conditions permit. A minimum of 14 square feet be provided for each pupil. In larger schools the kindergarten and infant .departments should be provided for in a separate building and a separate playground. In the larger schools provision should be made for an assembly room, retiring rooms for teachers, headteacher's office, and a luncheon-room. Special attention should be given to ventilation, heating, and lighting of buildings, according to situation and locality. Rooms should be so constructed as to facilitate . frequent and thorough cleaning according to the most approved hygienic methods. Lavatory accommodation should be adequate and so planned and provided for as to promote cleanliness and modesty. As a general rule separate accommodation should be provided for the infants. All school playgrounds should be provided with sufficient shelter accommodation.

"Furniture.—AH class-rooms should be so furnished as to provide for the health and comfort of the occupants, and to facilitate efficient work. Single adjustable desks should be provided, complete apparatus should -bo supplied and renewed, and modernised from time to time, -' Due importance should be attached to the aesthetic aspect in the interior decoration of schools. All teachers' rooms and the luncheon room should be completely furnished. "In conclusion, schools and surroundings should be such as to form a centre of local interest and pride, a stimulus to the aesthetic. and an inspiration to the community." ' ■ / FOR BETTER HEALTH. Conference did not , advocate school medical' and dental clinics, but it suggested a step forward for the health of the child and the good of the,community by urging that .medical and dental inspection should be followed by medical and dental treatment. The National Education Board should have power to work in co-operation with the Public Health Department, and the Education Committees with the Hospital and Chari--table Aid Boards, assistance. to be given to parents in necessitous cases. Further restrictions in the employment of children of school age, with definite powers for the medical officers in some cases, were also advocated. TEACHERS AND THEIR PAY. Teachers in all preparatory, junior, and senior schools, it was decided, should be employed . ahd controlled . by/ the National Education Board. Only qualified teachers should be employed, provided that in cases where no qualified teacher \ was obtainable other persons : might be ' employed temporarily. Subject to the right of appeal teachers might be removed :from one school to another at the discretion of the board. This it was argued would present a wider field of promotion for teachers and would assist in bridging, the gap between the primary and secondary schools. ,:-. Teachers would not be subject to local committees. " ..'■'■ Staffing should be -according to schedule, with allowance for special- conditions, but no. class should contain, more than 40 pupils, arid probationers might be. appointed in addition to the teachers provided for in tho schedule. Salaries should. ,be according to a schedule . determined; according to the ' graded list, with a minimum of £150 a year for a qualified teacher and a maximum of £600, except that, further payment might be provided for special services. Another motion was that the salary schedules should substitute for payment on average attendance, payment on the basis of efficiency of service, of educational status, and of professional arid domestic responsibilities. Grading should be according to efficiency and length of service. The principle was accepted that inspectors should be appointed from time to time from the highest grades of teachers, and might return to the teaching side of the profession. PRIVATE SCHOOLS. Concerning private schools, denominational or - otherwise, the institute reaffirmed its stand for . free v compulsory and secular education, making this suggestion : " That private school- bfe registered for purposes of compulsory attendance and inspection ■as regards the general quality of instruction and equipment and hygienic conditions; private schools should not be examined and no certificates entitling to public privileges should be issued to their pupils." Several . members of the institute expressed the decided opinion that the best method of combating the disintegrating influence of the private school was to provide so efficient a system on truly national lines that no private enterprise could compete with it.